Emer for a girl?

[LeviStubbsTears]

Hi there

Contemplating Emer for a girl - my DH is Irish and I think likes the idea of an Irish name, although we live in England (or perhaps because), and this is probably my favourite of the options for a girl.

My top names are Eleanor (shortened to Nell) and Edith (don't know where all these 'E's come from!).

Any thoughts/ preferences?

Anyone an Emer, or know one? How does it play in England/UK?

Any Irish folk out there with a feeling either way about it? I'd like to know how it is seen in Ireland (and if this Anglicized spelling is thought badly of) as almost all my in-laws are in Ireland, but DH has been away 20 years so hasn't got his finger on the pulse...

Lots of questions, sorry - but any thoughts on any of this v. welcome. Thanks!

(PS. One or two of you may remember me on here a little while ago prattling on about a certain Irish boy's name, but just found out today we're probably having a girl!)

I have an Irish friend with this name. I really like it.

She said it's not very common,though not unknown in Ireland,but certainly not unknown.

However people here really seemed to have trouble with the pronunciation. She was called Amir almost every day,and a few other variations.

Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue has a daughter Emer.
Only one I have heard of

Ignore the extra unknown. I had intended to delete that.

Eimear is the Irish spelling.
I think it's a lovely name - v popular 30 years ago when I was born, but not dated, afaics - I think it'd work well now.

My friend Emer (with Anglicised spelling) is from Dublin, so I don't think it's thought badly of. I think it's a lovely name.

If you like E names, how about Eilis, or Edana (fem form of Aidan)?

Love Nell, btw.

My friend pronounced it as Eem-er.

LTBR is right.

I have never met one or come across the name.

Don't let that stop you tho if you love it esp if there is a relevant connection (ie yr Irish DH).

Eleanor is pretty popular tho more usually Ellie - I know many.

Edith I heart and don't know many at all.

Thanks, all. Very torn. I've cherished Eleanor/Nell for so long but DH is a bit lukewarm. (Mind you, she'll have his surname - which I don't have - so I'm tempted to assert some sort of prerogative!)

Emer (we'd pronounce it Ee-mer too) is very nice too though, and a bit more unusual. I can see myself shortening it (well, nn-ing it) to 'Emmie' when she's little, mind you, which suddenly sounds very English again so maybe I'm not entirely entering into the spirit!

I like it.

I like Emer but I can see why you are torn as Eleanor is a lovely name too!!! But there is less chance of another Emer in her class at school.

I am English and don't know many Irish names and my first thought on seeing your title was that you had gone for a 'unique' spelling of Emma! (this just could be me though ).

It's a pretty name but I would spell it Eimer as it makes it look like an Irish name, not a British misspelling, and will make people pause for a moment and think how to pronounce it rather than going for the easy option of Emma.

Hi, there is one in my ds' class, spelt Emer and I know a lady my age (31) also with the name Emer and that spelling. Both Irish families. I prefer Nell though.

I would go for either Eimear or Emma, Emer seems neither one thing nor the other iyswim.

I do know an Eimear (Irish but living in England) and people do struggle with pronouncing it, she generally just tells them to call her 'Emma' :)

That's interesting - to me the Eimear spelling would confuse me more in terms of pronunciation and I like the appearance of 'Emer', sort of semi-symmetrical (??), but perhaps it is a halfway house. Will consult Irish relatives. I don't want her to become Emma by default in lots of situations though so that's worth bearing in mind. Or perhaps I'll just dig my heels in re. Nell!

It's funny as DH and all his siblings have English (or Scottish but not Gaelic) names, and their surname is actually Norman rather than Gaelic so doesn't cry out for a Gaelic first name, but two of their children have Irish names with Gaelic spellings (one of them unusual even in Ireland). But those kids are in Ireland so it is a bit different!

Anyway, this is all very helpful. I don't think my DH actually has very strong feelings, tbh, but just wants to have done all the research and considered every possibility!

I Love Eimear,its on our shortlist but english DH not too keen ,worried about prnonunciation...i would spell it Eimear.Also on our list is Aoife and Orla(will probably go with Orla) DD is called Niamh which eveyone seems to really like !Good luck and let us know.

Love Eimear/Emer. I have an Orla and it would definitely be on my list if I had another DD.

It's ok. I'm Irish and it's a bit blah imo. I prefer so many other Irish names.

But having said that, I like that it could be Ema for short, but Emer has a bit more strength. I like girls names that go into adulthood well. I think Emer suits an adult.

ps, Eimear is the spelling I have seen in Ireland, but I have also seen Emer, so don't feel obliged to go for the Eimear spelling.

It's like Orla or Maeve imo. There are different accepted spellings for some names even here in Ireland. You wouldn't see Neeve or Eefa though. So, good idea to run it past a jury first I think!

Emer is one of the Irish names that became popular again in the Revival, and the usual pronunciation ''Ee-mer' is actually a mistake that comes from reading Old Irish spelling with English pronunciation rules. The 'm' in the middle is lenited, and should be pronounced as a 'v' - hence the caighdeán spelling 'Éimhear'.

Love Emer. Eleanor (nn Nell), Edith and Erin are my top 3 funny enough- DH wasn't keen on Emer or that would have been on shortlist too.

I have a very unusual name, people always pronounce it wrong, everywhere I go- it's never bothered me at all, and would never have dreamed of changing it!

Stick with the name you want and the spelling you want- really Emer shouldn't be hard to work out how to pronounce!!

Like Eleanor

Emer sounds masculine to me tbh.